"Trouble in Mind" ★★★

"Trouble in Mind" ★★★

The 1955 backstage drama by the groundbreaking black playwright Alice Childress shows she was nothing if not incisive about the way stereotypes can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. She also had a heck of a sense of humor. The play is also hilariously savage in its portrayal of theater artists as prima donas. They arrive to work on an anti-lynching play  a mixed-race cast led by a white director  and as they dig in, a veteran actress named Wiletta (played with real wit and verve by Velma Austin) begins to question the veracity of her characters choices. Shes been down this road before and shes reached her breaking point. "All I did was holler, 'Lawd have mercy!' for two hours." Through March 20 by The Artistic Home, 3914 N. Clark St.; $28 at 866-811-4111 or theartistichome.org - NINA METZ

The 1955 backstage drama by the groundbreaking black playwright Alice Childress shows she was nothing if not incisive about the way stereotypes can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. She also had a heck of a sense of humor. The play is also hilariously savage in its portrayal of theater artists as prima donas. They arrive to work on an anti-lynching play  a mixed-race cast led by a white director  and as they dig in, a veteran actress named Wiletta (played with real wit and verve by Velma Austin) begins to question the veracity of her characters choices. Shes been down this road before and shes reached her breaking point. "All I did was holler, 'Lawd have mercy!' for two hours." Through March 20 by The Artistic Home, 3914 N. Clark St.; $28 at 866-811-4111 or theartistichome.org - NINA METZ

The 1955 backstage drama by the groundbreaking black playwright Alice Childress shows she was nothing if not incisive about the way stereotypes can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. She also had a heck of a sense of humor. The play is also hilariously savage in its portrayal of theater artists as prima donas. They arrive to work on an anti-lynching play  a mixed-race cast led by a white director  and as they dig in, a veteran actress named Wiletta (played with real wit and verve by Velma Austin) begins to question the veracity of her characters choices. Shes been down this road before and shes reached her breaking point. "All I did was holler, 'Lawd have mercy!' for two hours." Through March 20 by The Artistic Home, 3914 N. Clark St.; $28 at 866-811-4111 or theartistichome.org - NINA METZ